Real Monsters: Chapter One
by RkieFan
Summary: Mike and Jill receive word regarding the possible parole of a nemesis from their pasts.
1. Chapter 1

DISCLAIMER: The characters are the property of Spelling/Goldberg Productions and Columbia/Tri-Star Entertainment. No copyright infringement is intended. The author retains the rights to the story.

TITLE: Real Monsters-Chapter One

AUTHOR: Cindy PG for this chapter

SETTING: Summer and Fall of 1981, a year after the story Sometimes Things Don't Always Go As You Plan.'

SUMMARY: Jill and Mike get news regarding the possible parole of someone from their past.

AUTHORS' NOTES: This story is going to start in October of 1981, working back and forth between the present and the past. My original title was going to be Monsters' until I remembered that there was an episode of Third Watch' by the same name, so I changed it to Real Monsters' after a comment Jill makes to the parole board regarding real and make-believe monsters. CTL and I are going to alternate chapters with him writing about the past and myself writing about the present. I hope everybody enjoys it.

And, also, what would an angst ridden Jill and Mike Danko story be without the in-laws?

PROLOGUE: OCTOBER 1981-CALIFORNIA STATE PRISON, VACAVILLE

Jill sat at a long table across the room from six people that she'd never seen before and after today, hoped to never see again. Members of the California State Prison Board of Pardons and Parole. The seven of them stared at each other for what seemed an eternity before Jill reached into the canvas bag she'd brought with her and removed a framed eight by ten picture of Mary Kathryn and set it beside her on the long table. The picture showed a brightly smiling toddler, dressed in a frilly pink dress, her long dark hair hanging down her back in long ringlets and tied away from her face by a huge pink bow. "This is my daughter, Mary Kathryn. Her birthday is July 29, 1977, which means she just turned four years old this past July. She's a typical four-year-old, full of endless questions and endless amounts of energy," Jill began speaking as the board members began to look uncomfortable. "She also thinks that the only real monsters are the ones that exist under her bed and in her bedroom closet. Right now, she's not old enough for her daddy and me to tell her otherwise."

"Excuse me, Mrs. Danko, but what does your little girl have to do with why you're here today?" One of the board members asked.

"She has everything to do with why I'm here today. If it weren't for Steve Wainz, my daughter would have an older brother or sister. My husband and I don't take Mary Kathryn into restaurants very often. We fib and tell people it's because she's so small and she doesn't have the attention span or the patience to sit through a restaurant meal. That isn't true. Mary Kathryn is actually a fairly well behaved child. We don't take her because we can't relax in a restaurant setting. You refused to let my husband come here today and speak because you said he wasn't the victim that night. There were a lot of victims that night. I was the only one who was actually injured, but my husband was also a victim. So were our friends. I honestly don't think too much about that night, anymore. After all, it's been eight years and time eases the pain. The only time I really think about that night is when my husband and I enter a restaurant. That's because I visibly see his radar come up. If we can't get a table where he can watch the door, we'll leave. I don't want Steve Wainz released. It's that simple. I don't care if he's taught the whole prison to read while he's been in here. He doesn't deserve to walk free where there are other potential victims of his rage. Thank you for letting me speak," Jill concluded as she put Mary Kathryn's picture back in the canvas bag and stood up.

"We'll contact you by mail within the next week with our decision," one of the board members told her as he escorted her to the door.

Driving back to Los Angeles with nothing but the radio and her thoughts for company, Jill thought about the day she'd received word that Wainz was possibly about to be released from prison.

CHAPTER ONE: AUGUST 1981

After an afternoon spent playing in her wading pool, followed by dinner and a bath, Mary Kathryn was more than ready to settle down with her mother and a good book. Mike was attending orientation classes all week in preparation for teaching an academy class starting in September. Jill was sitting on the edge of Mary Kathryn's bed, reading to her from Winnie the Pooh.' "Why does my daddy have to go to school? Thomas' daddy doesn't go to school. I thought when you were a daddy, you were done with school," Mary Kathryn pointed out to her mother as Jill slowly closed the book.

"Daddy has to go to school so that he can teach school. It's only for a few more days, then he'll be home to read to you," Jill opened the book back up as she glanced at Mary Kathryn. By the look on her face, Jill knew her small daughter wasn't done with her questions. "Mary Kathryn, do you want me to read or do you want to go to sleep right now?"

"Just one more question."

"Okay, what is it?" Jill asked as she bit back a smile.

"When my daddy gets finished with this school, is he going to be the smartest daddy in the whole wide world? Smarter than Thomas' daddy, even?" Mary Kathryn asked as her eyes got huge.

"You know what, Mary Kathryn? I think he already is," Jill leaned down and kissed her on the forehead as Mary Kathryn giggled. "It's time for you to go to sleep."

"Just five more minutes?" The little girl begged as Jill stood up.

"No more minutes. We'll finish Winnie the Pooh' tomorrow night. Sleep tight, I love you," Jill handed Mary Kathryn her rag doll and walked toward the door.

"Mom?"

"Mary Kathryn, enough talking. Go to sleep," Jill scolded as she began to pull her door closed.

"But, mom, monsters. Daddy always checks under the bed for monsters. Thomas says sometimes they escape from the closet," Mary Kathryn whispered in fear as Jill walked back into the room.

"Thomas has a vivid imagination," Jill mumbled as she made a great show of getting on her hands and knees and lifting up the covers on Mary Kathryn's bed. "All right, all of you monsters Get out from under Mary Kathryn's bed or her daddy will put all of you in jail I think that scared them," Jill assured her daughter as she got up off of the floor and straightened the covers. "If that doesn't work, we'll put salt down on the floor."

"Salt? What does that do?" Mary Kathryn asked her mother.

"Oh, monsters are scared of salt. They won't go near it," Jill once again kissed her daughter as she left the room and pulled the door partially closed.

Once downstairs in the quiet of the living room, Jill walked around picking up members of Mary Kathryn's doll family, which were scattered around the room and placed them in an old laundry basket near the stairs. Then she walked over to the bowl where she'd placed the afternoon's mail and began to leaf through it, something she was never able to do while Mary Kathryn was awake. She noticed a white envelope with the return address of The California Board of Pardons and Parole' addressed to her. She couldn't imagine why she'd be getting a letter from this particular agency. She sat down on the sofa and opened the envelope. Her face went pale as she read the form letter. "They've got to be kidding," Jill whispered as she continued reading.

It had been almost eight years since that awful night, but only about seven since the perpetrator had been sentenced to what Jill had hoped would be a long prison sentence. At the time, 25 years had seemed like a lifetime. Jill had thought it to mean that he had to serve that entire sentence. She and Mike rarely went out to dinner any more and it was even more rare that they entered a restaurant with their daughter. Jill saw the stark terror written all over her husband's face every time they walked in the door of a restaurant. He thought he wasn't being obvious and maybe to other people, he wasn't, but Jill saw it and Jill knew the reasons for it. The guilt still had a tendency to eat him alive inside, even though it was something they no longer ever discussed.

Jill put the letter back into the envelope and glanced around the living room. The living room and the wall leading up the stairs resembled a photo gallery of their lives since that awful night. There were dozens of pictures of Mary Kathryn on prominent display. Baby pictures, vacation pictures, pictures of the three of them as a family. Any stranger who entered this house could plainly see how much that little girl was adored by her parents. Any stranger would also probably get the story of how long it took for Mike and Jill to conceive her after that awful night. It was almost four full years from that night in October of 1973 to Mary Kathryn's birth in July of 1977. Willie's wife, Jennifer, didn't even know the full story. As far as Jill knew, Jennifer didn't even know anything about that night and Jill had wanted to keep it that way. The same went for Terry's long-time girlfriend, Serena. The looks on people's faces after that night had been bad enough. Jill had no desire to re-live it.

It was almost nine o'clock when Mike pulled into the driveway and hit the button on his sun visor for the garage door. He parked his car in the garage while Jill parked in the driveway. She could never park in the garage and leave Mike enough room, so they had worked out the arrangement where she got the driveway and he got the garage. As Willie had pointed out, it saved money on divorce attorneys in the long run. Mike had grinned and readily agreed with his old friend. Getting out of his car, he walked over and unlocked the door that led from the garage to the kitchen. Hearing the TV, he knew Jill was in the living room. "Babe, I'm home," he called out as he walked to the refrigerator for a beer.

"Hi," Jill walked over and wrapped her arms around him as he was trying to reach for a beer.

"What's wrong?" He asked, noting that her actions and her body language spoke volumes. "Is Mary Kate okay? Are you okay?"

"Mary Kathryn's fine. She's been asleep for an hour now. I got a very strange letter today and I don't quite understand it," she told him as he got his beer and closed the refrigerator door.

"Who was it from?" He asked as he took her hand and led her into the living room, sitting on the sofa and pulling her down beside him. "Talk to me, babe."

"I'll do better than that. Here, read for yourself," Jill handed him the letter and settled back against the sofa cushions.

Mike unfolded the letter and began to read. As he read, he felt the fury come back to him. "Dear Mrs. Danko, this is to inform you that Steven R. Wainz will be appearing before the parole board on Oct. 31, 1981. If you wish to give reason why he shouldn't be considered for parole at this time, please make arrangements to speak to us on or before the above date. Sincerely, John Walters, President of the California Board of Pardons and Parole," Mike handed the letter back to Jill and she put it back in the envelope. "He can't possibly be coming up for parole, yet."

"Well, apparently, he is. Mike, I thought he got a flat 25. That's what the D.A. told us, remember?" Jill reminded him. "He told us that he'd be in that place for 25 years. No parole, but he had to be released after the 25 years. We didn't like it, but we were okay with it."

"I knew he'd get what they call good time.' They knock so many days off of his sentence for every day he serves. I just thought he'd do more than eight years " Mike shouted before he realized that he'd wake up Mary Kathryn.

"Why didn't you tell me about this good time?' Why didn't the D.A.?" Jill asked, now clearly furious.

"Baby, you were so upset. I didn't see the need to upset you further. I think I just wanted it to go away so we could move on with our lives," Mike apologized as Jill stared at him. "I thought it was enough that he was going to prison."

"How many times did we meet with the D.A.? How many meetings where we were forced to rob Peter to pay Paul just to get him charged with anything that happened to us that night? Mike, I see your reaction every time we go into a restaurant. Even taking Mary Kathryn to McDonald's freaks you out. Wainz is the reason why You're damn right I'm going to make arrangements to talk to them We have to protect our daughter from the Wainz's of this world Right now, she thinks the only monsters are the ones that she can't see. If I have my choice, she'll continue to think that way for the next ten years," she stressed as Mike reached over and pulled her close to him.

"I was hoping to never think about it again and I was definitely hoping to never talk about it again," he whispered into her neck as she held onto him.

"If it weren't for him, Mike, we'd have two children upstairs asleep right now. He can't get out. I won't allow it," she pulled away to look at him as he nodded.

"I'm going to go tuck the baby in and kiss her goodnight," Mike slowly stood up and made his way toward the stairs.

While Mike was upstairs with Mary Kathryn, Jill walked around and made sure the house was secure for the night. After locking everything up, she walked upstairs and paused outside of Mary Kathryn's room, where she could hear the little girl sleepily talking to her father. "Mommy's going to put salt on the floor," she heard Mary Kathryn mumble as Mike tucked her in and once again handed her her beloved rag doll, which had fallen to the floor.

"I love you. Go back to sleep," Mike left the room and once again pulled the door partially closed. It was only then that he looked at his wife with a puzzled expression on his face. "Salt?"

"I'm from the South, remember? That's what you use to get rid of Haints," Jill smiled as she walked into their bedroom. "You put salt around the bed and the monsters won't go near it."

"She told me one night that this particular monster is green, yellow and purple and he used to live at Thomas' house," Mike said as he pulled his pajamas out of his dresser drawer.

"Is he the one that escaped from the closet?"

"One and the same. I'll be back in a few minutes," he said as he walked into their bathroom and closed the door behind him.

Jill sat on the edge of the bed for a few minutes until she heard the shower running before getting up and entering the bathroom. It was one of those nights where she needed to be with him. She removed her nightshirt and walked over, sliding the glass shower door opened. "Did she say how many eyes he had?" She asked as Mike stared at her in surprise.

"Four, but they're all different colors," Mike grinned as he pulled Jill into his arms.

"Those two should write horror movies," she ran her hands down his arms as he kissed her.

"Are you okay?" He asked as he pulled back to look at her with serious eyes.

"I don't want to talk about that right now. There'll be plenty of time to talk about that later. Right now, I just want to be with you," she whispered as she nestled closer to him.

The next morning, Jill went through the ritual of fixing Mary Kathryn's hair before sending her over to Willie and Jennifer's house for the day. Mary Kathryn was playing with one of her many dolls while Jill was tightly French braiding her long hair into two braids. "Ow " Mary Kathryn cried out as Jill yanked particularly hard on her hair. "Mom, you're going to make my eyes all slanted "

"Well, if you'd sit still, this wouldn't hurt," Jill retorted as she continued to deftly plait the little girls' hair. "You're going to make daddy late and then Eddie's going to get mad."

"I need to ride my bike to Jen's. We're going to the park today," Mary Kathryn reminded her mother.

"I know, Mary Kathryn. Daddy already got it out of the garage. Okay, you're done," Jill stood up and put the comb and brush back on her dresser.

"Mary Kate, let's go " Mike called from downstairs.

Jill walked the two of them out the front door and watched as Mike snapped Mary Kathryn's bicycle helmet into place before allowing the little girl to get on the small pink bike with the training wheels. "I'll see you this afternoon," Jill told Mike as Mary Kathryn began pedaling down the street. "Mary Kathryn, wait for your daddy "

"I'll talk to you later," Mike kissed her. "I love you."

"I love you, too. Be careful," she told him as he nodded.

Mike followed Mary Kate down the street to the Gillis' house and allowed her to ring the doorbell. Willie answered the door with seven-year-old Thomas right behind him. "Hey, come on in," Willie ushered Mike and Mary Kathryn into the house. "Thomas, why don't you take Mary Kate's bike to the backyard," Willie suggested as his son took the bike by the handlebars and pulled it toward the back of the house. "Jen's going to take the kids to the park later."

"Yeah, Mary Kate told me about three times already. Hey, you're not going to believe this, but Jill got a letter from the Prison Board telling her that Wainz is coming up for early parole," Mike announced as Willie stared at him in shock.

"How can that be?" Willie asked as Jen came down the stairs carrying two-year-old Natalie. "I thought he got a flat 25-year sentence."

"I don't think there's such a thing, anymore," Mike said, lowering his voice as Jen took Natalie to the kitchen. "Does Jen know about any of this?"

"No, I've never told her anything. Do you want me to tell her?" Willie asked as he looked toward the kitchen.

"No. Let Jill decide how much she wants her and Serena to know. Anyway, are you about ready to roll?" Mike asked as Willie nodded.

"Jen, I'm going " Willie shouted as Jen came back out of the kitchen. "I'll see you tonight."

"Okay, you guys be careful," Jen advised them as the two older kids came thundering back into the room. "Thomas, you and Mary Kate stop running in the house."

"Mary Kate, kiss me goodbye. I have to go," Mike said as Mary Kate ran over to him. "Have fun at the park and wear your helmet."

"I will. Bye, daddy," Mary Kate kissed him as Willie walked over and opened the front door.

"So, what are you and Jill going to do?" Willie asked as he and Mike got into his car and Willie started the engine.

"Prevent him from getting out of prison," Mike vowed to his longtime friend as Willie backed of the driveway and drove down the street.

TO BE CONTINUED


	2. Chapter 2

DISCLAIMER: See Chapter One for disclaimers.

TITLE: Real Monsters–Chapter Two

AUTHOR: Chuck PG for this chapter

SETTING: November 1973–shortly after the events outlined in 'A Matter of Justice.'

SUMMARY: Mike has to give a deposition in preparation for the upcoming trial of Steve Wainz. He's also still dealing with his and Jill's emotions regarding the events of that tragic night. And, then there's the matter of the Thanksgiving dinner from hell. The in-laws are back

AUTHOR'S NOTE: There will be references in this story to 'T Is for Traumatized' which can be found on  There will also be a reference made to 'Dark Shadows,' a sort of inside joke at Jill's expense. Also, a reference to the song 'Can I Get To Know You Better' by The Turtles. I drive Cindy crazy with this song.

Mike sat at a long table in the District Attorney's office, waiting to answer questions regarding the night of the restaurant shooting. His stomach churned as he sat with the Assistant District Attorney, waiting for Wainz's attorney and the court stenographer to arrive. It had been a nightmarish month and there were signs that the nightmare wasn't going to end anytime soon. It had taken more than two weeks for Wainz to be arraigned following his escape from the hospital. The delay was due to Wainz firing the first lawyer that had been assigned to him. The ADA had then told Mike and Jill that even though depositions were moving along at a rather rapid pace, it could still be four to six months before they even started choosing a jury. Every delay made it that much harder for Mike and Jill to put everything behind them and move on.

The ADA was a young man by the name of Richard Abernathy. If he had his way, this case wouldn't even go to trial. His boss was constantly on his case to offer Wainz and his attorney a plea bargain and save the taxpayers some of their hard-earned money. However, when Mr. Abernathy had first suggested a deal to Wainz's attorney, it was quickly rejected as too harsh. So, it was back to the drawing board. At that moment, there was a tap on the door. "Come in," Mr. Abernathy called out. The door opened and Wainz's attorney and the stenographer entered the room. "Well, now that we're all present, I guess we can get started. That is, as soon as the stenographer is ready," Mr. Abernathy quickly added as the stenographer quickly set up her equipment. "We're here today to present depositions in the matter of the People V. Steven R. Wainz, docket number 73-41380. Present is Assistant District Attorney Richard W. Abernathy, Howard Wilkins, attorney for the defendant, court stenographer Catherine Leeds and Officer Michael Danko. Are we ready to proceed?" Mr. Abernathy asked all parties, who simply nodded. "Officer Danko, please raise your right hand. Do you swear that the testimony you're about to give is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help you, God?"

"I do," Mike solemnly vowed as he lowered his hand.

"Please state where you were on the night of October 22, 1973 at approximately seven p.m.," Mr. Abernathy instructed Mike.

"I was at Morton's Restaurant with my wife," Mike slowly replied.

Mr. Abernathy quickly led Mike through the events of the evening before turning him over to Wainz's attorney, Howard Wilkins. "Mr. Danko, at what point during that evening did you realize that something was wrong?" Mr. Wilkins asked.

"I heard a woman say something about a gun. Everything happened pretty quickly after that," Mike answered, wondering where Wilkins was going to go with his questioning.

"Not too quickly for you to attack my client," Mr. Wilkins pointed out as Mike's face reddened.

"Your client had already shot two people and was getting ready to reload," Mike shouted as Mr. Abernathy placed a calming hand on his arm.

"One of those two people being your wife, so don't you think emotions played a part in your actions of that evening?" Mr. Wilkins challenged as he stared at Mike.

"Objection," Mr. Abernathy said as Mike looked at him.

"I'll answer the question, if you don't mind. Emotions might've played a part, but the fact still remains that your client was getting ready to reload his weapon and shoot some more innocent people. I didn't exactly see anybody else stepping up to stop him," Mike said as Mr. Wilkins looked smug.

It was after lunch by the time the deposition had ended. Glancing at his watch on the way out of the D.A.'s office, Mike stopped at a pay phone and called home. Jill answered on the second ring. "Hello."

"Babe, it's me. I'm leaving the D.A.'s office and wondered if you were hungry. I can pick up some Chinese on the way home," he offered.

"Chinese sounds wonderful. I'll see you in a little while. How did the deposition go?" She asked before he hung up.

"I don't want to talk about that now. I'll see you in about half an hour," he promised as he hung up the phone.

Back at home, Jill stared at the telephone as she hung up. Things had been so topsy-turvy the past month that at times, she wasn't even sure which side was up any more. Mike had been seeing a therapist to help him cope with the events of that night. So far, Jill had refused that route. She found if she didn't let herself think, she could almost pretend the events of that night had never happened. Of course, that fantasy ended on the days when she had to meet with that awful Mr. Abernathy. Jill didn't understand why she had to be deposed. She'd tried explaining that she didn't remember anything about that night. Mr. Abernathy had the police reports. Her name wasn't mentioned among the witnesses. She'd tried explaining to Mike and the guys that she couldn't stand him. He was always condescending to her. Whereas Mike was Mister or Officer Danko, she was always Jill. She didn't understand why she wasn't afforded the same courtesy that Mike was. Mike, so far, hadn't witnessed this attitude, so he was of the opinion that Jill was being overly-sensitive.

Jill was about to sit back down when the phone rang once again. Thinking it was probably Mike checking to see what she wanted to eat, she quickly picked up the phone. "Mike, you know . . . . " Jill began, only to be cut off.

"Jill, how are you?" The familiar voice of Mike's mother came over the line.

"I'm fine," Jill replied, wondering why Mike's mother was calling in the middle of the day.

"I wasn't sure if you or Michael would be home, but I thought I'd take a chance. We'd like for the both of you to join us for Thanksgiving dinner next week. Michael's brother and sisters will be in town and we'd like for both of you to be there, too. It would mean a lot to Michael's father," his mother cheerfully carried on.

"Yeah, I bet," Jill thought to herself. "I'll have to talk to Mike and have him get back to you," Jill said out loud, knowing full well what his answer was going to be.

"Please do that and please don't let him say no. It's been a long time since all of the family was together for a holiday. We haven't even spoken to Michael since your accident. He was quite upset the last time his father talked to him," his mother pointed out as Jill made a face.

"I will make sure he calls you as soon as possible," Jill promised once again as she said her goodbyes and quickly hung up the phone. "Accident? I didn't fall out of a tree I got shot in the back "

About that time, she heard Mike's key in the front door and he soon walked in, carrying a paper bag. He set the bag on the table before walking over and kissing Jill. Looking into her eyes, he saw storm clouds brewing. "What's wrong? Is your back hurting again?" He asked as he put his arms around her and pulled her close.

"Your mother called," she told him as he tightened his arms around her. "She's invited us to Thanksgiving dinner. She said your brother and sisters are going to be in town. It would mean a lot to your father."

"Her words or yours?"

"Hers. She said they haven't talked to you since my 'accident.' I don't want to go if that's going to be dinner table conversation," Jill warned as she pulled free from Mike's grip and went into the kitchen to get plates and silverware.

"I got accused of being melodramatic. According to my father, probably worthy of playing Shakespeare. I was kind of upset," he looked over at Jill and grinned, hoping to break the mood. Jill didn't grin back. "Hey, let's forget about my family and eat. I'm starving "

"The deposition went that well, huh?" Jill asked as Mike handed her her dinner.

"I don't want to talk about the deposition. Right now, I want to eat and talk about us," he took a bite of his egg roll and looked over at Jill, who now was grinning. "Now she smiles "

"You have sweet and sour sauce on your chin," she grinned as she took a napkin and wiped it off. "I can't take you anywhere."

"I was thinking that maybe we could go to Lake Tahoe for Christmas. Skiing, a huge fireplace, romance. You have to admit that romance has been sorely missing from our lives, of late," he pointed out as her eyes darkened. "Hey, it's just a thought. We have plenty of time to think things through. So, did my mother say which of my sisters were going to be in town?"

"No, just that your brother and sisters were going to be in town. So, are you going to accept her invitation?" Jill asked with her mouthful of rice as Mike grinned. "What? I'm hungry."

"Aren't you the one who said that dinner's with my family were comparable to living in the seven pits of hell? Besides, if Claudia is going to be in town, we might want to decline. She's worse than The National Enquirer," Mike said, making a face.

Jill had only met Mike's oldest sister Claudia one time before, shortly after Mike had graduated from the police academy. It had been a short visit, not allowing for Claudia's usual mannerisms to surface. Mike knew his sister could be nosy and overbearing. He didn't want to subject Jill or himself to that when things were still so raw.

"So, what's the problem with your sister?" Jill asked, as she watched Mike's face.

"I'm not sure how much, if anything, my parents have told her about that night. She'll try to drag every detail out of you. I just don't think it's worth it," he sighed as he picked up his plate and took it to the kitchen.

"We can just explain that we can't discuss the case. Your father knows how the law works. He knows we can't discuss the case while it's ongoing," Jill tried to reason as Mike looked at her.

"My sister doesn't understand the meaning of the word 'no.' I'll accept the invitation if you really want me to, but it has bad idea written all over it," Mike tried to reason as he watched Jill's face. "I'm not going to win this argument, am I?" He asked as Jill shook her head. "All right, I'll go call my mother."

The next afternoon, Willie and Terry were eating lunch at a burger joint when Mike's squad car pulled into the parking lot beside their car. "Hey, Mike Long time, no see " Willie called out as Mike exited his car and walked over.

"How long have you guys been here?" Mike asked, looking at his watch.

"Ten minutes, give or take. Grab something to eat and join us," Terry invited him as Mike nodded and walked up to the order window.

After Mike got his food, he walked back over and took an empty seat in between Terry and Willie, where he had a clear view of the parking lot and anybody who might walk up. Terry noticed he'd been doing this since after the shooting. "So, how did the deposition go?" Terry asked as he took a bite of his hamburger.

"I can't talk about that. However, I've come to the conclusion that my wife has flipped," Mike announced as he put salt and pepper on his hamburger.

"Flipped how? Oh, Willie and I have been invited to join my old man for Thanksgiving dinner. He made a point of also inviting you and to quote him 'your lovely wife.' For somebody who's only spoken to my father on the phone, Jill has made quite an impression," Terry grinned as he took a drink of his soda.

"That brings me to my point of how my wife has flipped. We're having dinner with my family for Thanksgiving. Jill's idea," Mike pointed out as Willie and Terry exchanged glances.

"Wait Aren't these the same people who treat Jill like a second class citizen?" Willie asked as Mike nodded.

"My father, yes. My mother, not so much. Anyway, my brother is flying in from New York with his children and my three sisters and their families are also going to be there. It's going to be a Danko family reunion of the highest magnitude," Mike said sarcastically as Terry and Willie roared with laughter. "It's not funny. My oldest sister is the world's biggest snoop. You know how Jill has been since this whole ordeal," Mike pointed out as the guys nodded in agreement. "She cries at the drop of a hat. I don't want anybody upsetting her. This whole thing with the D.A. and Wainz has already got her upset enough, as it is. We both just want it to end."

"Is it showing any signs of going away any time soon?" Terry asked.

"I don't know. Abernathy has said that his boss just wants him to plead Wainz out, but Wainz won't accept the deal that's been offered. Anyway, I've probably already said too much, so can we please talk about something else?" Mike begged as his eyes went back to scanning the parking lot.

Thanksgiving morning, Jill was in the bathroom putting the finishing touches on her makeup while Mike was getting dressed in the bedroom. "Hey, babe " Mike called out from the bedroom. "Can you help me with my tie? I'm forgetting how to dress again "

"Flashbacks from our wedding day?" Jill grinned as she walked out and expertly straightened her husband's tie.

"Something like that," he grinned back as he kissed her. "You look very nice."

Jill was wearing a long blue skirt and a white blouse. "So, do you think your father will approve?"

"Trust me, you look very nice," Mike appeased her as he kissed her once again.

Mike's parents house was huge. Jill never could get past the fact of how large it was. Their apartment could probably fit into the house 100 times over. After being ushered into the house by Gail, the housekeeper, Jill was quickly introduced to Claudia, Cathy and Charlotte, Mike's three sisters, their husbands and what seemed to be a zillion small children. The sight of the children made Jill's heart ache, but she pushed the sad thoughts to the back of her mind. "Where's David?" Mike asked as he looked around for his brother.

"Lisette changed her mind about letting him bring the children, so he canceled his plans to be here," Mr. Danko informed his son as he stepped forward to shake Mike's hand.

"I'm sorry to hear that," Mike said as he returned his father's handshake.

"So was your mother. She was really looking forward to seeing all of her grandchildren. So, young lady, how are you feeling?" Mr. Danko asked as he turned to greet Jill.

"Fine, sir," Jill assured him as she looked at Mike for reassurance. All of this talk regarding grandchildren was making her uncomfortable. Mike had told her after the shooting that no one in the family knew about the baby. It hadn't been part of the newspaper article and Mike felt no need to tell anyone outside of the few people who already knew.

"I'm glad to hear that," he smiled as he ushered his family toward the sitting room. "What are you having to drink?"

"Just water, please," Jill answered as she let herself be led to a small love seat.

"Michael?" Mr. Danko addressed his son.

"Is it too early for a glass of neat Scotch?" Mike whispered to Jill as he sat down beside her on the love seat and she fixed him with a look. "Water's fine for me too, sir."

"Be nice," Jill whispered as she took his hand and squeezed it. "At least he's trying."

"I'll be back in a few minutes. I'm going to say hello to my mother. Beware of the Spanish Inquisition," Mike warned as he got up and left the room.

Jill took a deep breath as she looked around the room at her in-laws, who all looked as if they expected her to make a speech or something. Mike had an annoyingly bad habit of leaving her alone in various rooms of this house and disappearing. "Jill, we were so sorry to hear about your accident," Claudia broke the ice as Jill's face went pale. "Pop sent James and I the newspaper article about it. Was it painful?"

"I really don't want to talk about that," Jill stammered, unsure of what else to say to this woman. 'Accident?' Were these people kidding?

"We see on the news all of the time stories of people getting shot, but you're the first person I've ever personally known . . . "

"Jill, how lovely to see you," Mrs. Danko entered the room, followed by Mike. "How are you? We haven't gotten a chance to speak to you since the accident."

"I'm fine, thank you," Jill managed to say as she looked at Mike. "If all of you would please excuse me, I'd like to borrow Michael for a few minutes," she looked at Mike as she walked out of the room.

"Excuse me, please," Mike excused himself and followed Jill from the room to a quiet area of the house. "Are you all right?"

"Mike, what did you tell them? They all refer to that night as an 'accident.' A car wreck is an accident! Getting shot in the back by a deranged lunatic is not an accident! Is that how you think of that night?" She asked, almost in tears.

"Baby, I didn't tell them anything. Like I told you in the hospital, my father called me the next morning after hearing about it on the morning news. They probably just don't know how else to refer to it. This is what I tried to warn you about," he cautioned as Jill stared at him in disbelief.

"Claudia was just about to tell me that I'm the first person she's ever personally known who's gotten shot," she glared at him as he rubbed a weary hand over his face.

"I will put a stop to this right now. Let's go," Mike took her hand and pulled her back toward the sitting room. "I'd like to make an announcement. Since Jill and I are in the middle of giving depositions regarding the resolution of her shooting, the topic of what happened that night is strictly off limits. We'd appreciate it if all of you could honor that."

The rest of the morning limped along until it was finally time for dinner. The children were all seated at the customary children's table while the adults gathered around the formal dining room table. Jill was talking to Mike's sister Cathy, who also happened to be a nurse, not paying particular attention to the conversation her husband was having. Jill was unaware that anything was wrong until after dinner when they all retired back to the sitting room and she found that Mike had once again pulled a disappearing act. She talked to Cathy for several more minutes until she began to feel annoyed by Mike's disappearance. "Has anybody seen Mike?" She asked as she looked around the room.

"You might want to try the music room. He always used to vanish in there back in the days when he'd get agitated," Claudia pointed out as she looked at her sister-in-law.

"The music room?" Jill asked. This house was beginning to sound like something out of Collinwood, from the old TV show 'Dark Shadows.'

"Go through the kitchen and down the stairs. First door on your right. If you hear the piano, it's probably Michael," Claudia said as Jill got up.

Once in the kitchen, Gail pointed Jill in the right direction. Coming down the stairs, Jill could definitely hear the sound of someone pounding away on a piano. Jill didn't know one classical piece from another, but this one definitely sounded angry. Entering the large room, she found her husband hammering away on the piano as if his life depended on it. She walked over and sat on the long bench beside him. "You're full of surprises. I didn't know you played," she said as Mike stopped playing and looked at her, pain etched all over his face. "Are you okay?"

"I wanted to be a concert pianist until my father informed me that was a profession for sissies. He's not a patron of the arts," Mike pointed out sarcastically. "By the time I was eight years old, I could play any piece by ear. It's a rare talent, one that I'll try to pass on to our children," he said as his voice suddenly choked up.

"Mike, I don't understand. What's going on?" Jill asked as she rubbed his neck. "Are you upset with me because I wanted to come here today?"

"I don't know about you, but I've had more than enough family for one day. Come on, let's say our goodbyes and go home," he put down the lid on the piano keys and stood up. "How did you find me in here, anyway?"

"Claudia said you might be here."

"Figures," he spat out as he took her hand and led her out of the room.

Mike didn't say two words during the half hour drive back to the apartment. Jill knew he was angry, but she didn't know why. She thought maybe he was angry at her for suggesting they accept the invitation. The thought brought a rush of tears to her eyes. When they walked into the apartment, Mike walked over and took the bottle of Scotch from over the sink. Now, Jill knew for sure that he was upset. "Mike, I'm sorry," she whispered as he started to pour himself a drink.

"What are you talking about?" He asked, stopping just short of pouring the Scotch into a highball glass. He recapped the bottle and walked over to her. "Baby, I'm not mad at you."

"I couldn't find you and then when I did, you were so angry " Jill stopped and wiped angrily at the tears that had slid down her cheeks. "I thought maybe you were mad because it was my idea to accept your mother's invitation."

"No, baby. No," he repeated as he pulled her close and held her tightly. "At dinner, Claudia and James asked me when you and I were going to start a family. I didn't even know how to answer them. All I knew was I needed air. I knew you were in good hands talking to Cathy. After all, she's the least insane of the three of them."

"I ask myself if the pain is ever going to go away," Jill mumbled against Mike's chest. "I just want our hearts to stop hurting. I feel as if I broke your heart that night."

"Hey," Mike whispered as he pulled her away to look at her. "Don't ever say that to me again. You didn't break my heart. I love you. I thought I had lost you. I want to think that we'll stop hurting, in time. At least that's what my shrink keeps telling me."

Mike had been seeing the department shrink for the past couple of weeks to try to come to grips with the events of that night. Things had been so crazy with having to go to court and give depositions that there hadn't been much time for just the two of them to be alone. Which was one reason Mike had suggested the Tahoe trip. He just wanted to be alone with Jill without interruptions from Willie or Terry. "What're you thinking about?" Jill asked as she watched his face.

"Oh, I was thinking about how crazy I used to make you when I'd put a dollar's worth of dimes into the jukebox at the bowling alley and play just one song," he grinned as Jill couldn't help but grin back at him.

Jill remembered back to those days when she thought Mike was such an incredible pest. He'd put a dollar's worth of dimes into the jukebox in the bar at the bowling alley and repeatedly play 'Can I Get To Know You Better' by The Turtles. "I wanted Jimmy to pull that record out of the jukebox and destroy it," Jill remembered as Mike started laughing.

"I love you so much," he kissed her as he pulled her closer again.

The phone rang early the next morning, waking Mike and Jill up out of a sound sleep. "What time is it?" Jill asked as Mike reached for the phone.

"Almost eight o'clock. So much for sleeping late," Mike yawned as he picked up the phone. "Hello?"

"Officer Danko, this is Richard Abernathy. I was wondering if you and Jill could come into my office this morning, say around nine o'clock. I've reached an agreement with Mr. Wainz and his attorney," Abernathy went on as Mike sat up in bed.

"What kind of agreement?" Mike asked as Jill also sat up.

"One that I think all parties can be quite happy with," Mr. Abernathy assured Mike, practically beaming from ear to ear with pleasure.

"Then, we'll see you in your office at nine o'clock," Mike hung up the phone and looked at Jill. "That was Abernathy. He's reached a plea agreement with Wainz. He doesn't say what it is, but he says we'll all be pleased with it. We're meeting him at nine o'clock this morning."

"I hope they're putting him under the prison," Jill said as she got up and slipped into her robe. "I'll go make coffee."

Mike and Jill arrived at the D.A.'s office at 10 minutes until nine. They were met by Mr. Abernathy, who smiled brightly as he shook both of their hands. "Officer Danko, Jill, please come in. Would you like coffee?" He offered as they both shook their heads.

"Why does he always do that?" Jill whispered to Mike as they sat down.

"What are you talking about?"

"You're always called by Officer or Mister Danko, while I'm always addressed by my first name. It's condescending and rude," Jill hissed as Abernathy walked in and sat down at his desk.

"I met for several hours with Mr. Wainz and his attorney on Wednesday afternoon. We had to do a bit of robbing Peter to pay Paul, but we're always having to do that, anyway. In exchange for pleading guilty to one count of voluntary manslaughter and second degree burglary, Mr. Wainz is going to serve a term of 12 and a half to 25 years in the state penitentiary," Mr. Abernathy explained as Mike and Jill looked at each other in total disbelief. "What's the matter?"

"He's not going to be charged with shooting Jill?" Mike asked as he felt sick.

"Officer Danko, he's going to prison for a long time You know what happened and I know what happened, so what does it matter if he's charged with the actual crime," Abernathy reasoned as Mike felt like standing up and decking him.

"If he comes up for parole and he isn't charged with anything that happened to me that night, then I won't be notified He'll be out on the street and I won't even know about it," Jill shouted as Abernathy stared at her.

"Jill, you have to understand . . . . " Mr. Abernathy began as Mike suddenly cut him off.

"Wait just a minute. When you address my wife, please address her as 'Mrs. Danko.' She's 'Jill' to her friends and you've just proved that you're not one," Mike pointed out as Abernathy flushed beet red in embarrassment. "And this agreement is not acceptable to either Jill or me."

"My boss wants me to resolve this," Mr. Abernathy hissed through clenched teeth.

"Then, resolve it. You go back to Wainz and his attorney with something regarding Jill's injuries and we'll agree to it. We deserve that much," Mike said as he got up, signaling that the meeting was over.

Mike took a deep breath as he walked out of the office with Jill and walked toward the elevator. "Why does that guy always make me feel like taking a long shower?" Jill asked as Mike hit the button for the lobby.

"Because he's a lawyer and all lawyers as a rule are smarmy," Mike sighed as he took Jill's hand.

After Mike and Jill left, Mr. Abernathy took the elevator up to his boss' office on the 9th floor. After knocking on the closed door, he heard a muffled voice instructing him to enter. D.A. Ed Larson looked up when Mr. Abernathy entered the room. "Are we ready to wrap up the Wainz case?" Larson asked as Abernathy took a seat on the other side of his desk.

"I thought so, sir, but the Danko's disagree with the deal I'd worked out with Wainz and his attorney," Abernathy sighed as he handed the papers to his boss.

"What about Mrs. Mayson?" Larson asked as he looked over the papers outlining the plea bargain. "Is this all Wainz pleaded to? Voluntary manslaughter and one count of burglary? I thought we had a whole grocery list of charges lined up against this guy."

"We did, but we had to drop some things to get him and his attorney to agree to a plea deal," Abernathy pointed out as Larson winced. "Is something wrong, sir? I thought you instructed me to make this case go away."

"I told you to plead him out so we could spare the expense of going to trial. It's what every decent D.A. worth his salt wants to do. It's called saving the taxpayer's money. I can see why the Danko's are upset. There's nothing that mentions charging him with assault or attempted murder or anything that deals with what happened to Mrs. Danko that night I assume that you read the medical report, Mr. Abernathy. Mrs. Danko was on the critical list for several hours that night. If it hadn't been for a competent surgical team, Mr. Wainz would probably be finding himself charged with two counts of voluntary manslaughter, instead of one. I want you to amend this plea agreement and add assault with a deadly weapon. Also, add a flat 25 year sentence. If that isn't amenable to Mr. Wainz and his attorney, tell them we'll see how well he fares with a jury that could decide to find him guilty of second degree murder, because that's the case I'll take before the grand jury," Mr. Larson waved his hand toward his office door, effectively dismissing the younger D.A.

To give Jill credit, she managed to hold it together until they arrived back home. She went toward their bedroom while Mike went into the kitchen to get something to drink. "Babe, are you hungry? I was thinking about making a BLT Do you want one?" He called toward the back of the apartment. He was concerned when he didn't get a response, so he walked toward their bedroom. "Jill, are you okay?" He called out when he saw the closed bathroom door.

"I'll be out in a minute," she answered, her voice muffled by the closed door. She opened the door a few minutes later, her eyes puffy and red from crying. "Why is justice only for the accused?"

"I don't know, baby," Mike answered as he reached out for her, only to have her brush past him back to the living room.

"First, we have your family who refer to that night as 'an accident.' Now, adding fuel to the fire is Mr. Abernathy, who wants to just pretend I was an innocent bystander. How can we make them see what Wainz took away from us that night?" Jill fretted as she paced the room, wiping away at the tears that fell down her face. "With just a few minutes of senseless violence, he stole away part of our future It's true that we can have another child, but that doesn't replace what we lost that night I want justice Is that so much to ask?"

Mike walked over and pulled her to him. Jill buried her head in his chest and cried as if she was never going to stop. Mike just held her as he had been since this whole nightmare had begun. He was still holding her when the phone rang. "Do you want me to answer that or just let it ring?" He asked as she pulled away from him and looked toward the phone.

"I'll get it," Jill sniffled as she walked over and picked up the phone. "Hello?"

"Mrs. Danko, this is D.A. Larson. I'm calling to apologize for Deputy D.A. Abernathy. He has been ordered to amend the plea agreement and re-present it to Mr. Wainz and his attorney," Mr. Larson apologized as Jill looked at Mike.

"What's wrong?" Mike mouthed as he walked over to the phone.

"What is he amending it to?" Jill asked, as she stared wide-eyed at Mike.

"Assault with a deadly weapon. Is that a satisfactory count?" He asked.

"Yes," Jill stammered. "Thank you, Mr. Larson."

"Again, I apologize. Have a nice day," he concluded as the connection was broken.

"What was that all about?" Mike asked as Jill hung up the phone and turned to him with a huge smile on her face.

"That was an apology. It was also to tell us that Mr. Abernathy has been ordered to go back and amend the plea agreement to include assault with a deadly weapon. Maybe there is justice, after all," she pulled Mike forward and kissed him before going into the kitchen. "Now, what were you saying a few minutes ago about BLT's?"

Mike shook his head as he watched his wife getting things out of the refrigerator, hoping that she was right and there would be some justice from this whole lousy mess.

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

DISCLAIMER: See Chapter One for disclaimers.

TITLE: Real Monsters – Chapter Three

AUTHOR: Cindy PG

SETTING: September 1981

SUMMARY: Decisions, decisions. This and Jill explains to Jennifer and Serena the whole saga regarding Steve Wainz.

**PART ONE – A RELAXING WEEKEND AND A DECISION TO PONDER**

Lt. Eddie Ryker pulled into his driveway, preparing to drive under his carport when he found his way blocked by a familiar white car. He smiled as he got out of his car and locked it before walking past the other vehicle toward his house. He glanced into the backseat at the familiar clutter that can only be caused by families with small children. In the distance he could hear the playful giggles of his goddaughter as she played in the swimming pool.

In the years since Mary Kathryn's birth and his return to living full time in the house he'd built for his late wife, Lt. Ryker had made several changes. He'd added on a bedroom for the little girl and had also had an in-ground pool put in after Jill had told him in no uncertain terms that his goddaughter wasn't swimming in the lake that surrounded the property. The lieutenant had also become accustomed to the clutter of toys that now seemed to lie everywhere. Tricycles, wagons, dolls and a huge playhouse in the backyard. But, he wouldn't change any of it for the world. As far as he was concerned, the sun rose and set on that little girl and he spoiled her rotten, much to the chagrin of her parents.

He entered the house through the kitchen and found that Jill was making a pitcher of iced tea. "Ah, my second favorite lady in the world," he grinned as he walked over and kissed her on the cheek.

"I don't know whether to be flattered or insulted," Jill returned his kiss as she went back to her tea making. "Mike has Mary Kathryn in the swimming pool and I was just about to take him a glass of iced tea. Would you like one?"

"Yes, I would," he answered as she poured him a glass and handed it to him. "Thank you. So, how does your husband like teaching?"

"Let me see. I think he likens it to the inmates taking over the asylum," she smiled as Eddie laughed. "Are you coming outside? Mary Kathryn's been asking for you all day."

"I'll be out in two minutes," he promised as he opened the back door for her to go outside.

Jill walked outside, set the tea pitcher and two glasses on a table by the side of the pool where her small daughter was happily jumping into the deep end. Mary Kathryn was a fish in the water and had absolutely no fear, which Jill wasn't sure was a good thing or not. Her constant fear was that Mary Kathryn would somehow fall into the water when no one was looking. Mike tried to assure her that his was nonsense since the little girl could probably swim better than they could. Nevertheless, Jill made sure she was never out of an adult's sight when they visited Eddie's. "Mary Kathryn, let's get you out and dried off. Eddie just got home," Jill told the little girl.

"Did he bring me anything?" Mary Kathryn asked as she swam over to the side of the pool and climbed out.

"Why do you think he always has to bring you something?" Jill asked as she wrapped a large towel around her and began to briskly rub her.

"Because I'm the baby," Mary Kathryn patiently explained to her mother as she saw her godfather walk outside. "Eddie, did you bring me anything?"

"Not this time. Come here and give me a kiss," he held out his arms as Mary Kate raced to him.

"Eddie, she's soaking wet," Jill protested as Eddie swung the little girl into his arms and sat down in one of the patio chairs.

"So, am I going to get invaded or is it just you guys this weekend?" He asked as he settled Mary Kate on his knee.

"I needed a break from the constant questions that are coming from the G-I-L-L-I-S house," Jill said, spelling to keep Mary Kathryn from asking questions.

"I heard about your letter," Eddie said.

"Mary Kathryn, why don't you go play in the shallow end?" Jill suggested as the little girl made a face.

"You just told me to get out of the pool. Now, you want me to get back in?" Mary Kathryn asked in confusion.

"I've got a better idea," Eddie said as he stood up. "Why don't you and I go inside and get us some ice cream?"

"Can I, mom? Please?" Mary Kathryn begged as Jill looked at Eddie.

"Stay off of the furniture in your wet clothes. I'll be inside in a little while to help you change clothes. Eddie, please do me a favor and don't stuff her full of junk," Jill begged as Eddie gathered Mary Kathryn into his arms and walked toward the house.

"My mom and dad need alone time," Mary Kate guessed as Eddie opened the door and walked into the house.

"Yeah. Sometimes, mom's and dad's just need to talk without kids around. Come on, let's get some ice cream," he said as he walked over and opened the freezer.

Back in the pool, Mike was holding onto the edge as he watched Jill. It had been a rough month and the questions had been endless. Jennifer had heard whispered exchanges between Mike, Willie and Terry and she wanted to know what was going on. Jill wasn't ready to tell her and she'd been begging Willie not to. So far, all of the secrecy was putting a huge dent in Jill and Jen's friendship. "Help me out of the pool," Mike called out, seeing that Jill was a million miles away.

"How do I know you're not going to pull me in?" She asked as she walked over to the pool and stared into his eyes.

"I guess you'll just have to trust me," he smiled as he held out a hand to her.

"Not a chance," she smiled back as she sat down on the edge of the pool and eased herself into the water and clasped her hands around his neck.

"So, are you still thinking about what you're going to do?" He asked as he slowly moved toward the shallow end of the pool.

"It's all I've thought about for a month. Things would be easier if they would let you say something, too. I wasn't counting on having to do this by myself," she complained as Mike moved them over to the steps, where they sat side by side.

Jill had called the parole board after receiving the letter. After asking if Mike would be allowed to also make a statement, she was told no. He wasn't considered a victim and only the victims or the families of victims were allowed to make statements. After explaining that Mike was 'family,' she was told that 'family' only applied in the case of a deceased victim. Since Mrs. Mayson had passed away before Wainz ever went to prison, that left only Jill, who felt that Mrs. Mayson had died of a broken heart. The couple had no children, so there was no one to speak for him. "Do you think they'd let me say something about Mr. Mayson?" Jill asked.

"I would imagine you could say anything you wanted to say, but what would you say about him? We only knew him for maybe five minutes," Mike reminded her.

"But, he died because they gave up their table for us. I don't know what to do, Mike. I don't know what I would say if I did go. But, I also know that he can't get out. I know that more than anything in this world," she stressed as she looked at Mike.

"If you speak from your heart, he's not going to get out," Mike rested his forehead against hers. "We'd better get inside before Eddie fills a certain little girl so full of ice cream that she won't eat dinner."

That night, after bathing her and reading her a bedtime story, Jill was tucking Mary Kathryn into bed. "Now, what are the rules?" Jill asked as she gave her a stern look.

"If I get up before anybody else, I'm to stay in my room," Mary Kathryn stated as Jill nodded.

"You can play with your dolls or your dress up trunk. You **do not **leave this house," Jill reminded her once again as she stood up and prepared to leave.

"Are you going to send daddy in to check for monsters?" Mary Kathryn asked fearfully as Jill turned out her light.

"Daddy will be in in a few minutes. Go to sleep," Jill pulled the door ajar before walking back to the living room. "Mary Kathryn wants you to go check for monsters," Jill told Mike as she sat down.

"Monsters?" Eddie asked as he looked at Mike and Jill. This was a new one to him.

"It's a long story. It seems that we have one in our house who occasionally escapes from Mary Kate's closet and hides under her bed," Mike explained as Eddie stood up. "Where are you going?"

"To check for monsters," Eddie walked down the hall to Mary Kate's bedroom and opened the door. "What's this I hear about monsters?"

"It might've followed me from my house," Mary Kate whispered. "I heard it growling while we were eating dinner."

"You know what? I think I might've heard it, too," Eddie confirmed as Mary Kate's eyes grew huge. "But, I think I know a way to get rid of it."

"How?" Mary Kate asked as she sat up in bed.

"Well, I'm a lieutenant and I don't allow monsters in my house."

"My daddy's a lieutenant and this monster lives under my bed. It's about 75 feet tall and it had four eyes and it's green, purple and yellow," Mary Kate insisted as Eddie sat on the edge of her bed.

"And it fits under your bed?" Eddie asked as Mary Kate nodded. "Well, did you invite it here? Because I know I didn't invite it and I don't think your mom and dad invited it."

"You mean, like an invitation for a birthday party? I didn't give it one of those. I don't even like it," she made a face as Eddie got down on the floor.

"In that case, it has to leave," he lifted up the bottom of the comforter and made a great show of looking under the bed. "Now, hear this, monster! This is Lt. Eddie Ryker! I didn't invite you to visit my home, so you have to leave! That's an order!" He got up off of the floor and looked at Mary Kate, who had leaned over and was looking under the bed.

"It worked! Thanks, Eddie," she beamed as he leaned down and kissed her goodnight.

"Go to sleep," he tucked the covers back around her and pulled the door partially closed behind him.

Back in town the next morning, Willie was eating breakfast with his son and daughter when Jennifer walked in from outside, carrying the Sunday paper. "Do you think Mike and Jill will be back from Eddie's today?" She asked as she sat down and opened the paper.

"I don't know. Mike didn't give me his itinerary," Willie answered in a frosty voice as he sipped his coffee.

"I just wish you'd tell me what all the whispering is about between you guys," she hissed back as Thomas stopped eating and stared at his parents with wide eyes.

"Thomas, put your bowl in the sink and go get dressed," Willie ordered his son, who reluctantly got up from the table and did as he was told. "Jen, if I could tell you what the whispering was about, you know I would," he told his wife after Thomas had left the room.

"You know I don't like secrets, William," Jennifer hissed at him as she got up, removed Natalie from her high chair and stomped out of the room.

Back at Eddie's, the slamming of the front door woke Mike out of a sound sleep. He quietly got out of bed and pulled on his robe before going out into the hallway to make sure his small daughter hadn't become an escape artist. He breathed a sigh of relief when he realized Eddie had taken her with him as he did his morning chores around the place. He walked back into his and Jill's bedroom and closed the door before climbing back into bed. "Where's Mary Kathryn?" Jill asked him sleepily as she cuddled closer to him.

"Eddie has her with him," he smiled as he slipped an arm around her.

"That means we could have 20 minutes or three hours," Jill grinned as she pulled him even closer and kissed him longingly. "Did you lock the door?"

"Babe, she's with Eddie," he tried to assure her as he let his hands roam under her nightgown.

"May I remind you that if something distracts her, she could be back in this house faster than you can say 'Jack Robinson,'" Jill said as Mike looked at her and frowned. "She's four years old. She has the attention span of a gnat."

As if to prove her point, they both heard the front door open and slam shut. "Daddy! Mom! Come see what I found!" Mary Kathryn burst into their bedroom and jumped between them on the bed.

"I rest my case," Jill threw the sheet over her head as Mike rolled his eyes.

"Come see what I found in the barn," Mary Kathryn urged her father as she impatiently pulled on his hand to get him out of bed faster.

"Can I get dressed first?" Mike asked.

"Okay," the little girl answered as she got up and stood beside the bed expectantly.

"Go wait in the living room and I'll be there in a few minutes," Mike ordered as he pointed toward the door.

Mary Kate was pacing back and forth when Mike entered the room a few minutes later. "Come on!" She once again grabbed his hand as she pulled him toward the front door.

Eddie and Trap were feeding the horses when Mary Kate walked into the barn with Mike. "I was wondering where she'd run off to," Eddie said as the little girl pulled her father into a far corner of the barn.

"Look, daddy! Kittens!" Mary Kate squealed in excitement as she sat down and placed one of the kittens in her lap. "This one likes me. Can I have one?"

Mike sat down beside his daughter and looked at the litter of five kittens cuddled beside their mother. Three, including the one Mary Kate was holding, were gray and white, one was black and one was orange and white striped. Mike guessed they had to be a couple of weeks old, judging by the fact that they had their eyes opened. "We'll have to talk to mom," Mike told her as he watched her playing with the kitten. "Put the kitten down and let's go make breakfast."

"You're the man. If you tell mom to let me have the kitten, she has to say yes," Mary Kate reasoned as Mike looked over to where Trap and Eddie had stopped feeding the horses and were listening to the exchange.

"Has she been channeling Cleve Andrews?" Trap asked as Mike made a face.

"Who told you that mom has to do what I say?" Mike asked curiously as Mary Kate placed the kitten back with its mother.

"Well, doesn't she?" Mary Kate asked, ignoring her father's question.

"She does, if we want to fight over custody in the future," Mike muttered under his breath as he stood up.

"What?"

"Never mind. Come on, let's go make breakfast," Mike held his hand out toward his daughter and helped her off of the ground.

"Oh Danko, before I forget, Gillis called about an hour ago. He said he needs to talk to you as soon as possible," Ryker told Mike.

"Okay, thanks. Come on, Mary Kate," Mike led her out of the barn and back toward the house.

Jill was standing on the dock feeding the ducks stale bread as Mike and Mary Kate approached the house. "Daddy, can I feed the ducks with mom?" Mary Kate begged as she started hopping up and down in excitement.

"I thought you wanted to help me make French Toast," Mike reminded her as her face fell. "Okay, go on," he told her as she ran off toward the dock.

Mike was glad for the interruption since it gave him a chance to call Willie without Mary Kate playing 20 questions. He had a feeling he knew what Willie wanted, he just needed confirmation. Willie answered the phone on the first ring. "Mike, Jennifer's getting upset about all of the whispering that's been going on. Jill's going to have to tell her something."

"Man, you know how Jill can get about this. I mean, you know how she can get about anything that she doesn't want to talk about. If I push her about it, she's just going to clam up that much tighter," Mike reminded his longtime friend.

"Look, she's going to have to talk to the parole board, right? Jennifer and Serena can be her practice sounding board," Willie suggested helpfully.

"Number one, Jill hasn't decided if she's going to talk to the parole board and number two, where does Serena fit into this?" Mike asked as he switched ears.

"Well, if she tells Jennifer about that night, she might as well tell Serena, too. Call it killing two birds with one stone."

"Maybe she should take out an ad in the _Los Angeles Times _while she's at it," Mike added sarcastically as he heard the front door open and shut. He stopped talking until he saw it was Eddie. "Look, we should be back this evening. I'll try talking to Jill, but I can't guarantee anything, okay?"

"Okay. If I don't see you tonight, I'll talk to you tomorrow," Willie said as he broke the connection.

"He wants Jill to talk to Jen," Eddie guessed as he walked over and poured himself a cup of coffee.

"We've been whispering among ourselves and I guess Jen's getting a little tired of it. I mean, I don't blame her, but you know how Jill is about talking about that night," Mike reminded his old mentor.

"I know how you both are about talking about that night. Let's be truthful here. One part of you is glad that you don't have to talk to the parole board because the guilt is still eating you alive," Eddie pointed out as they both heard the front door open as Mary Kate came skipping into the kitchen.

"Wash your hands before you start helping me," Mike instructed her as she pulled a footstool over to the sink and climbed up on it to wash her hands. "Soap and water, please."

"Why? My hands don't have any dirt on them," Mary Kate made a face as she carefully examined her hands.

"Mind me, Mary Kathryn," Mike ordered as he looked over at Eddie. "Where's your mother?"

"Outside. She told me, 'Just go inside, Mary Kathryn. I don't want to deal with you right now,' whatever that's supposed to mean," Mary Kate made another face as she scrubbed her hands with the bar of soap before rinsing them and drying them on a dishcloth hanging beside the sink. "Are they clean now?" She asked as she walked over and thrust her hands in her father's face.

"I'll be back in a few minutes," Mike ignored his daughter and left the room as Mary Kate started to follow him.

"Mary Kate, get the eggs out of the refrigerator and we'll make French Toast," Eddie told the small girl as she reluctantly turned around.

"I only like my daddy's French Toast," she replied petulantly as she walked to the refrigerator and took out the carton of eggs.

"Well, I'll do my best to change your mind," Eddie promised as he removed a skillet from the bottom drawer of the stove.

At Terry's house, Serena was busily making breakfast while Terry was upstairs getting dressed. She was as curious as Jennifer was about what all the whispering was all about that had been going on lately between Terry, Mike and Willie. But, unlike Willie, Serena knew Terry would probably explain things to her. It was all a matter of asking the right questions. "Terry, breakfast!" She called up the stairs as she set a plate of bacon, eggs and toast at his place at the table.

"Great! I'm starved!" He called as he thundered down the stairs and sat down in front of his plate and began to dig in like a man who hadn't eaten in years.

"Can I ask you something?" Serena asked sweetly as she sat down and took a sip of her coffee.

"Why do I get the feeling that the answer to your question should be 'it depends?'" Terry answered suspiciously as he lowered his fork.

"Is there something going on with Mike and Jill that I don't know about?" She plunged ahead as she looked at Terry.

"I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you," Terry joked until he saw that Serena wasn't laughing. "I'm sorry. That wasn't funny."

"No, it wasn't," Serena agreed.

"Something awful happened a long time ago. Once it finally ended, none of us thought we'd ever have to think about it again, much less talk about it. Now, it's being thrown back into our faces," Terry got up to pour himself another cup of coffee.

"So, what happened?" She asked as Terry sat back down.

Terry looked at Serena, wondering how much, if anything, he should tell her. He knew from experience that she wasn't a gossip, so it was unlikely that she'd go running across the street to Jennifer to spill the beans. But, he'd also made a promise to Mike and his relationship with Mike went deeper at times than his relationship with Serena. But, he also knew that if he didn't at least give Serena the bare bones of what had happened, she'd just keep asking about it.

"Mike and Jill were out to dinner several years ago. This man walked in from off of the street and opened fire. Jill got hit," Terry began as Serena's eyes widened.

"Oh my God. Are you kidding?" Serena asked as Terry visibly flinched.

"When Jill tells you about this, please don't ask her if she's kidding. I thought she was going to kill Chris for asking that same question," Terry warned.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean that the way it came out. What happened to the man who did it?"

"After almost a year of haggling, he finally went to prison for what was supposed to be 25 years. Jill received a letter from the parole board saying that he's coming up for parole after eight years. If Jill wants him to remain in prison for the remainder of his sentence, she has to basically go grovel before the parole board. Needless to say, her and Mike are both thrilled beyond words," Terry sneered as he took his plate and cup to the sink.

"So, why is Jennifer so upset?" Serena asked.

"Because, Jill had asked Willie not to tell Jennifer the story of that night. Jen has seen the three of us guys talking among ourselves and it's making her suspicious. She probably thinks Willie's having an affair or something," Terry said.

"So, why did you tell me? I'm sure Jill gave you the same edict," Serena pointed out. "Didn't she?"

"Yeah. I feel like if I didn't say something, I'd explode. It was an awful night, Serena. For all of us," he said softly as Serena nodded in understanding.

Serena believed that much. She knew how much both the guys, in particular Terry, cared about Jill. He had already told her the story of how he and Chris had saved her from some guy named Blair Winfield, who still called the Danko's on occasion, much to Mike's irritation. Serena didn't know why he still called and when she'd asked Jill, all she'd said was she'd saved the guy's life and he felt like he still owed her something. Serena made a comment about being glad she didn't have to worry about getting calls from prison. Jill had replied back she wished she wasn't in that position either, but she was and there wasn't too much she could do about it.

"I won't say anything to Jen, if that's what you're worried about," Serena promised Terry.

"I'm not worried. Mike and Jill went away this weekend to think. He's trying to convince her that she needs to explain what happened to the two of you. This is something she doesn't want to do. If she'd never received the letter from the parole board, you and Jen would never hear about that night," Terry informed her.

Jill was sitting on the dock with her feet dangling off the edge when Mike walked out and sat down beside her. "Aren't you worried about getting duck poop all over your feet?" Mike teased as she looked at him.

"My feet aren't in the water."

"You aren't still upset about Mary Kate bursting into our bedroom this morning, are you? Babe, it's not the first time she's interrupted us and I can almost guarantee that it won't be the last," he told her.

"I'm not mad about that, although she does need to learn how to knock. She's four years old, Mike. It's time that she started learning things like that," Jill pointed out.

"Agreed and I will have a talk with her about that. You're thinking too much again, aren't you?" He asked.

In the days following the shooting, there were times when Jill was moody and seemed to be a thousand miles away. She'd tell Mike on those days that she was 'thinking too much,' her way of telling him that night was weighing heavily on her mind. "I was hoping that after I finally stopped having nightmares, I'd never have to talk about that night ever again. I mean we had Mary Kathryn and everything finally seemed like it was going to be happily ever after. You know what I mean?" She asked as he nodded.

"Speaking of which, Willie called this morning. He's going to end up in divorce court if you don't talk to Jennifer pretty soon," he pointed out as Jill sighed heavily. "Think of it this way, Jill. After you tell them, everybody will know. Except for the parole board, you'll never have to talk about it again."

"Until Mary Kathryn gets old enough," Jill reminded him.

"She never has to know unless you want her to know," Mike promised her as he pulled her close and held her to him as tightly as he could.

"I love you so much," she whispered against his neck.

Back at the house, Mary Kate was standing on a footstool helping Eddie mix eggs and milk for the French Toast. She was wearing an apron that covered her from head to foot. "Why is my mom so upset?" She asked as Eddie stopped whisking the batter.

"She just has a lot on her mind. Here, help me stir this," he instructed as he put his hand over hers and helped her whisk the batter into a froth. "Would you like to stay here one more night so your mom and dad can get things squared away?"

"Can I play with the kittens?" She asked as she heard the door open.

"I don't see why not," Eddie promised as Mike and Jill walked into the kitchen.

"Daddy, mom, Eddie wants me to stay here one more night. He says I can play with the kittens! Can I stay? Please?" She begged as she hopped up and down excitedly.

"She can be a handful," Jill reminded him.

"That's okay. So were they," Eddie answered back as he pointed at Mike.

"But, we weren't four," Mike shot back.

"At times that was highly debatable. Set the table while Mary Kate and I finish breakfast," Eddie instructed as Mike went to the cabinet and removed four plates and equal numbers of silverware from the drawer.

"Just so you guys can get things squared away," Mary Kate piped up as Jill's face went pale.

"What did you tell her?" Jill demanded as Mike and Eddie looked at each other.

"She noticed that you were upset and I told her that you just had a lot on your mind. That's all I told her," Eddie explained as he took a platter of French Toast to the table. "Let's eat."

Mike and Jill arrived home after six. Jill walked into the kitchen and picked up the phone and dialed Jennifer and Willie's phone number. Jen answered on the second ring. "Hi, I was wondering if you wanted to come over for a while," Jill rambled, not knowing what else to say. "I was also going to ask Serena. We haven't gotten together just the three of us in a while."

"That sounds nice. How about around 7:30. That way I can bathe the kids and put them to bed, so Willie doesn't have to worry about it. I made some cookies. I'll bring them along," Jennifer offered as she bid Jill goodbye and hung up the phone.

Jill was making a pot of coffee when Mike walked into the kitchen a short time later with his jacket slung over his shoulder. "I'm going to Willie's. It'll give you a chance to talk to the girls alone. I won't be gone long," he promised as he kissed her.

Shortly after Mike left, the door bell rang. Jill answered it, letting in Jennifer and Serena. "Hi. Come on in," Jill stepped away from the door so they could enter the room.

"Where's Mary Kate?" Jen asked as she looked around.

"Spending one more night at Eddie's. She found a litter of kittens, so you know what that means? She's going to be begging me for one. I made coffee. Let's go into the kitchen," Jill walked toward the kitchen as the other two women followed.

"I thought she wanted a dog," Serena said as Jill brought the coffee pot to the kitchen table.

"She does. Mike's promised her one when she's five. I want to see him try to get out of that one," Jill smiled as she handed cups out.

"So, what's going on?" Jennifer asked.

"This is so hard to talk about," Jill groaned as she put her face in her hands.

"My mother always used to tell me to just start at the beginning," Serena urged her.

"Mike and I went out to Morton's in Century City for our anniversary. It was supposed to be a special night. Instead, it turned into a nightmare. We had just sat down when this man walked into the restaurant with a gun. When the maitre d' tried to stop him, he opened fire. I got hit in the back," Jill paused as she noted the reactions of both women. They looked shocked, as had everybody else that night.

"You're kidding," Jennifer breathed.

"Why would I joke about something like that? Why is that everybody's first reaction when I tell them about that night?" Jill wanted to know.

"I'm sorry. It was just my first reaction. I didn't mean anything by it," Jennifer apologized.

"Anyway, I had found out that we were expecting a baby. I lost the baby," Jill quickly said as she felt her nerve slipping away. "We fought with the D.A.'s office for almost a year before he finally went to prison. In that year, the widow of the man he killed in that restaurant passed away. That left me as his only victim. We were told he was going to go to prison for 25 years. I was under the impression that meant he wouldn't see the light of day for that length of time. Unfortunately, our justice system sucks. He's up for parole after serving less than eight years. I have to go talk to them if I want him to stay behind bars. Just me. They don't consider Mike a victim of that night," she paused for breath.

"Why not?" Jennifer asked.

"I don't know. It tore him up. There were times when I thought it was harder on him than it was on me. I mean, I had to deal with the physical pain, but Mike felt like he hadn't protected me. His pain still goes so deep," Jill sighed as she rubbed her eyes.

"That's why he's so reluctant to go into restaurants," Serena realized as Jill nodded.

"His eyes never leave the door. I didn't even notice it until Terry pointed it out to me," Jill remembered as she shut her eyes against the memory.

"What are you going to say to them?" Jennifer asked as Jill shrugged.

"Whatever I have to. This story is a lot more involved than what I just told the two of you, but the point of it is he tried to destroy our lives. I can't let that happen to someone else," Jill pronounced with utter certainty.

TBC


	4. Chapter 4

DISCLAIMER: See Chapter One for disclaimers, etc.

TITLE: Real Monsters–Chapter Four

AUTHOR: Chuck PG

SETTING: September 1974

SUMMARY: An agreement is finally reached regarding Steve Wainz and Jill is dealing with the aftereffects of the shooting.

It had been 11 months since that awful night and still Steve Wainz languished in the city jail rather than in the state prison where he belonged. The D.A. had presented a plea agreement to Wainz's attorney, only to have it hastily rejected. They had gone back to the drawing board several times, only to have everything rejected. The Assistant D.A. had reluctantly made the decision to present the case to a jury, which was in the process of being seated. Nobody was looking forward to having to go to court and testify with Wainz sitting at the defense counsel table starring them in the face, but they knew if this was ever going to end, they weren't going to have a choice.

Mike came home from work on a windy September day. He was thinking about asking Jill about going to the beach that weekend. They had a rare weekend off together and he wanted to take full advantage of it. He knew he had to get her out of the city somehow, if it was only for the day. The upcoming trial had her increasingly on edge. Plus, she was still suffering pain in her back from the shooting. Pain that no amount of pain medication seemed to ease. Her doctor had finally thrown up his hands and concluded that the pain would go away with time.

When he unlocked the front door, he sighed as he saw Jill laying on the couch in tears. He put his keys on the counter, walked over and knelt on the floor in front of her. "Your back again?" He asked as she nodded. "I'm so sorry."

"It went into these horrible spasms while I was working. It was all I could do to stay on my feet," she sobbed as he brushed the hair from her eyes.

"Let me take a shower and then I'll see what I can do to help," he whispered as he kissed her on the forehead before getting to his feet.

Standing under the hot shower a few minutes later, Mike thought about the upcoming trial. Voir dire was going to start on Monday, so Mike knew how important it was for him and Jill to have one last relaxing weekend before they had to relive everything. Her doctor had told her on her last visit that the main reason for the pain was Jill's failure to relax. Mike had to agree with him on that point. He hadn't seen her this uptight since the early days of their relationship, when she was still referring to him as a pest.

Jill was sitting upright with her head in her hands when Mike walked back into the room. He grabbed a beer from the refrigerator before coming over and sitting beside her on the sofa. She curled up beside him as he opened his beer and took a drink. "Are you hungry? I'm kind of in the mood for Chinese myself," Mike told her as he once again kissed the top of her head.

"Maybe in a little while. Let's just sit like this for a little while. Don't move, don't talk, just stay like this," she murmured sleepily.

Looking down at her, Mike wondered how long it had been since she'd had a decent night's sleep. Nightmares had always been a part of their life together, but the nightmares of the past 11 months made the previous ones seem like fairy tales. Since that night the previous October, Jill had woke him up either crying out or screaming at least twice a week, sometimes more. She still flat out refused to discuss the possibility of trying to have another baby. Mike had finally just decided to give her space on that discussion and let her approach him about it when she was ready. He had tried to talk her out of going to court for the jury selection, but she had fought back, saying that it would be the only time she could stay in court since they were going to be testifying and witnesses couldn't stay in the courtroom before their testimony. Mike didn't understand why she felt the morbid need to sit in the courtroom across from the man who had caused so much misery in their lives. "Are you asleep?" He asked as he looked down at her.

"Yes."

"At least you still have a sense of humor. I was wondering if maybe you'd like to go to the beach this weekend," he suggested as she opened her eyes and looked at him.

"Which beach?" She asked, perking up slightly.

"I don't know. Venice, Redondo. You tell me," he told her.

"It was your idea. You pick the spot," she smiled.

"Well, the spot depends on whether we just want to walk and be romantic or watch the surfers," he remarked as he tried to think.

"If we want to do both, we'd be better off probably going to Redondo. Are we going to stay the weekend or just for the day?" She asked as she sat up.

"Probably just for the day. It's too late to get reservations at one of the inns. We can spend the day at the beach Saturday and stay in bed all day Sunday being lazy," he grinned as Jill couldn't help but grin back.

"That sounds wonderful," she murmured as she kissed him. "Now, did you say something a while ago about Chinese?"

Monday morning, Mike was in the locker room getting dressed when Terry and Willie walked in. "See, I told you we'd find him here," Willie pointed out to Terry as they walked in.

"Where else would I be?" Mike wanted to know as he watched the two guys open their lockers and remove their uniforms.

"You tell us. You weren't home all weekend. Now, here it is Monday morning and you're looking well rested and might I say, somewhat suntanned," Terry said as he unbuttoned his shirt.

"I made a discovery over the weekend that I'm something of a genius where my wife is concerned," Mike grinned as the two guys looked at each other in bemusement.

"If you're going to remind us how crazy she is about you, don't bother. We already know, although we can't for the lives of us understand why," Terry teased as Mike laughed.

"Okay, it's like this. We made it through the entire weekend without any muscle spasms and for the first time in months, without any nightmares. I actually had her laughing this past weekend. When was the last time any of us saw that happen?" He asked as he slammed his locker shut.

"So, how did you manage to do that?" Terry wanted to know.

"We went to Redondo Beach and I actually managed to find an inn that had vacancies. We took long walks and didn't talk about anything having to do with the trial. I can't even remember the last time we were able to go more than a few hours without something regarding the trial coming up in conversation," Mike sighed.

"So, was she feeling better this morning?" Willie asked as Mike frowned.

"I won't know until lunchtime when I go to the courthouse."

"So, you weren't able to talk her out of going to Voir dire?" Terry guessed as Mike shook his head.

"I tried. She wouldn't hear of it. So, we're back at square one, but at least we had a good weekend," he smiled in remembrance as the three men left the locker room to go to Roll Call.

Jill had somehow managed to get some days off in order to sit in court for the jury selection. She was sitting directly behind Mr. Abernathy and his associate, Mr. Hayden. "Are you sure you want to do this?" Mr. Abernathy asked her as the door at the front of the courtroom opened.

"I'm sure," Jill whispered back as she watched the bailiffs lead Steve Wainz over to the defense counsel table and uncuff him before taking posts at the side of the room.

This was the first time Jill had seen him since his arraignment. He looked over at her before leaning toward his attorney and whispering something. Jill could guess what it was he was having the heated conversation with his attorney about. She didn't have any more time to ponder because the judge entered the courtroom. After everybody had sat back down, Wainz's attorney, Mr. Howard, got to his feet. "Your honor, before you have the first group of potential jurors brought in, we'd like to object to the presence of Mrs. Danko in this courtroom."

"Overruled. Mrs. Danko has the right to be in here during jury selection," the judge ruled as Mr. Howard once again started to object. "I've ruled, Mr. Howard. Please be seated so we can get started."

Jill was in the courtroom later that morning when Mike walked in. "Hi," he whispered as he sat down beside her.

"Hi," she whispered back as she hugged him.

"I can't stay. I just wanted to see how things were going," he looked over to find Wainz staring holes through him.

"You'd better go before his attorney starts objecting. He's already had a fit because I'm in here," she warned him as he nodded.

"I'll see you this afternoon," he kissed her before he got up to leave.

Jill stepped outside at lunchtime, more to get air than to get anything to eat. She wasn't really hungry. Besides, Mr. Abernathy had told her that he expected the jury to be seated by late afternoon, at which time she'd no longer be allowed to stay in the courtroom. Mr. Abernathy was in the process of putting his files in his briefcase when Mr. Howard walked over to the table. "Can we talk?" He asked as Mr. Abernathy looked up.

"My office in ten minutes?" Abernathy suggested as Mr. Howard nodded.

"Now, they want to make a deal?" Mr. Hayden asked incredulously.

"Well, Wainz has been shooting Mrs. Danko 'go to hell' looks all morning, so my guess is he wants to make a deal if for no other reason than not having to look at her anymore," he told his associate. "Come on, let's go have a meeting."

Wainz and his attorney were in Mr. Abernathy's office when the two men from the D.A.'s office walked in. "We're prepared to accept the deal that you offered us back in the summer," Mr. Howard began as Abernathy and Hayden sat down on the other side of the table.

"Let me get this straight. In exchange to pleading guilty to voluntary manslaughter and assault with a deadly weapon, you'll agree to a flat 25-year sentence," Mr. Abernathy looked at Wainz, who nodded.

"Can I say something?" Wainz asked as Abernathy nodded. "I never intended for anybody else to get hurt that night. I have nothing against either Mister or Mrs. Danko. She was just in the wrong place at the wrong time," Wainz stated as Abernathy stared at him in disbelief.

"So, are you saying that her getting shot is her fault?"

"No, I'm just saying that everything that happened that night was a horrible mistake," he answered.

"Well, if we're in agreement, I'll have the papers drawn up. I'll see you in court in a few minutes," Mr. Abernathy said as he got up and left the room.

When Jill walked back into the courtroom after lunch, she sensed that something was going on. There were different vibes emanating from the defense counsel's table. "What's going on?" Jill asked Mr. Abernathy.

"Wait a few minutes and all of your questions will be answered," he smiled as the judge walked in and called court to order. After everyone had settled down, Abernathy rose to his feet. "Your honor, the People have reached an agreement with the defendant."

"Is this true, Mr. Howard?" The judge asked as Mr. Howard got to his feet.

"Yes, your honor," Mr. Howard answered affirmatively.

"Do you have the agreement in writing?" The judge asked as Mr. Abernathy handed a sheave of papers to the bailiff. The judge looked them over before looking over at Mr. Howard and Wainz. "Mr. Wainz, has your attorney explained to you the terms of this plea agreement?"

"Yes, your honor," Wainz said in a soft voice as he bowed his head.

"You're agreeing to a term of 25 years for one count of voluntary manslaughter for the death of John Mayson and one count of assault with a deadly weapon for the injury to Jill Danko," the judge intoned as Wainz nodded. "Please speak up, Mr. Wainz."

"Yes, your honor," he replied.

"We'll have formal sentencing on the first of October. Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, I want to thank you for your time. Court is adjourned!" He banged his gavel before rising to his feet and quickly leaving the room.

Jill was still in a state of shock as she left the courthouse and walked to the bus stop. Mike had arranged to pick her up, but that was when he thought she was going to be at the courthouse the entire day. It was still almost three hours before Mike got off duty. She decided to just take the bus to the precinct and meet him there.

Mike was at the front desk in the lobby of the precinct when Jill walked in. Mike didn't even notice she was there until he saw Older nod toward the front door. "Your wife's here, Danko," Older nodded as Mike turned around.

"Jill, what's wrong?" Mike asked as he walked over to her.

"Nothing. Can you talk?" She asked as she looked around.

"Yeah, let's go outside," he took her hand and led her outside to the front steps. "What's going on? I thought I was going to pick you up at the courthouse."

"I don't know what happened, but when I got back to court after lunch, Wainz and his attorney had finally agreed to plead guilty to voluntary manslaughter and the assault with a deadly weapon charge. He's going to be formally sentenced on the first of October. I wanted to tell you in person. It looks like it's finally going to be all over," she smiled as she looked at him.

"Oh, baby!" Mike breathed as he pulled her close. "That's about the best news I've heard in a long time."

"Look, I'm going to go home and cook you a nice dinner. So, I'll see you in a couple of hours," she pulled him toward her and kissed him.

"Okay. I love you," he kissed her back.

"I love you, too. Be careful," she advised him as he smiled.

The first of October was a breezy Southern California day. Mike and Jill had both gotten the day off so they could finally see justice done. The courtroom was hushed as the judge entered the room. "In the matter of The People v. Wainz, are both parties present and ready to proceed?"

"Yes, your honor," Mr. Abernathy answered.

"Yes, your honor," Mr. Howard intoned.

"I understand, Mr. Howard, that your client wishes to make a statement before I pronounce sentence," the judge looked over at Mr. Howard as Wainz got to his feet. "Go ahead, Mr. Wainz."

Wainz shuffled a couple of sheets of paper before he cleared his throat and began. "When I walked into Morton's Restaurant that night last October, I wasn't thinking clearly. The only thing I had on my mind was revenge. Revenge on a man who actually hadn't done anything to me, but in my mind, he had wronged me. I didn't even realize that I had shot anybody else until I got to the hospital and one of the cops told me. I want Mrs. Danko to know how sorry I am," he looked over at Jill, who just stared at him with huge eyes. "I didn't mean for you to get hurt. I'm just hoping that you can forgive me."

He finished speaking and sat back down. Mike squeezed Jill's hand as they looked back toward the bench. "Mr. Wainz, would you and your attorney please rise. Steven R. Wainz, I hereby sentence you to a term of no more than 25 years to be served at the California Department of Corrections in Vacaville, California. Take the defendant into custody," the judge ordered as bailiffs walked over, handcuffed Wainz and led him from the courtroom. "Court is adjourned!" He banged his gavel as everybody rose and exited the courtroom.

"Do you believe him when he said he was sorry?" Jill asked as they walked toward the car.

"I don't know. I guess we have to believe him. Come on, let's go home and do something fun," he grinned wickedly as Jill laughed.

Laying in bed later, they shared a snack of cheese, crackers and wine. "Mike, I've been thinking," Jill began as she put her wine glass on the night stand. "Remember the last time we had the baby conversation?"

"Yeah, I remember. You didn't want to talk about it again," Mike remembered.

"I was thinking last night after you went to sleep. I keep thinking about how hurt you were that night in the hospital when I told you that I didn't want to try again. He hurt us so badly, Mike, and I was so scared to try again. But, last night I started thinking. I love you so much and I know you'd make the most wonderful father. Better even than what's-his-name on 'My Three Sons,'" she paused as Mike grinned. "So, I think it's about time we tried to make a baby," she smiled shyly as she trailed a finger down his chest.

"You're sure?" He asked huskily as he pulled her down to kiss her.

"I'm very sure," she whispered as she responded to his kiss.

TBC


	5. Chapter 5

DISCLAIMER: See Chapter One for disclaimers, etc.

TITLE: Real Monsters – Chapter Five

AUTHOR: Cindy PG

SETTING: October 1981

SUMMARY: Jill goes to talk to the parole board and a decision is reached.

AUTHOR's NOTE: The first chapter of this story and this chapter are going to be similar. But, Jill is going to make different remarks in this chapter.

It was a warm late October morning. Jill had been on the road for three hours and figured she still had another three hours driving to do before she reached the state prison in Vacaville. It was lonely driving with nothing but the radio or her cassette tapes to keep her company, but Mike wouldn't have been able to go anyway. Someone had to stay home and take care of Mary Kathryn. She pulled up to the guard's shack at the prison shortly after noon. After explaining why she was there and showing appropriate I.D., she was directed where to go.

She walked into the visitor center where she signed in, had herself and her bag searched, then followed a guard to where the parole board was meeting. "Please have a seat. They'll call you when they're ready for you," the guard instructed her as she nodded.

"Thank you," Jill whispered as she tried to relax.

After what seemed to be an eternity of waiting, a woman came out of the room and beckoned Jill to follow her. She walked in to find a long table with six people sitting at it across the room from another long table where she was instructed to sit. "Thank you for taking the time to talk to us today, Mrs. Danko," one of the men said. "There's water at your table if you need some. We'd like to hear what you have to say."

"Thank you," Jill poured herself a glass of water before reaching over and removing the eight by ten framed picture of Mary Kathryn that she had placed in her tote bag and placed it beside her on the table. "On October 22, 1973, my husband and I went out to dinner for our anniversary. I don't remember anything of what happened from the time we were seated at our table until early the next morning. At around 8:00 that night, a man by the name of Steve

Wainz entered the restaurant, looking for one of the patrons. When the maitre d' attempted to detain Mr. Wainz, he pulled out a gun and began shooting. My husband told me later that the whole incident probably lasted no more than two minutes. I was seriously injured in the attack. I had learned that afternoon that I was pregnant with our first child. I lost that child due to hemorrhaging caused by the bullet wound. I spent almost six hours on the operating table that night. Mr. Wainz caused a lot of misery not only in our lives, but also in the lives of our friends and family. A lot of things that Mike and I used to enjoy as a couple were taken away from us that night. Going out to dinner was something we both enjoyed very much. That was taken from us. A friend of mine pointed out to me that now when we go out to dinner, Mike sits where he can watch the door. Having a conversation with him during a restaurant dinner is impossible, because he's watching every single person who enters the place. Wanting a family was something that we also wanted very badly. For a year after the attack, I wouldn't even entertain the idea of trying to have another baby. As you can see, I changed my mind about that. But, it was another three years before that dream was realized. I was told when Mr. Wainz was sentenced that he would be in prison until 1999. I didn't know about good time and time served. My husband did, but he didn't want to upset me by telling me the reality of the criminal justice system in our country. I don't want Mr. Wainz released, because I don't want to open my morning paper five or six months from now and read about him going into another restaurant and ruining someone else's life as he did to me and my husband," she paused as she shuffled the papers in her hand.

After answering questions from the parole board, Jill finished reading her statement concluding with remarks about how Mike and her rarely took their young daughter to restaurants. "Thank you for taking the time to talk to us. You'll receive word of our decision," they dismissed her as if she were a fly on the wall.

Jill packed her things away and walked out, wondering how much, if any, of her statement the board had actually paid any attention to. She stopped at a pay phone on her way out and called home, reversing the charges. Mike answered on the first ring. "Hello?" He asked, sounding slightly out of breath.

"Hi, sweetheart. It's me. You sound breathless. What're you and Mary Kathryn doing?" She asked.

"She's wearing me out. How did it go?" He asked as he shushed Mary Kate, who was running around the kitchen.

"I don't know. I just feel like I was talking just to hear the melodious sound of my voice," she said in irritation. "I'll be home sometime this evening. I just wanted to let you know that I was going to be on my way home soon."

"Okay, be careful and I'll see you this evening," he told her as they broke the connection.

Driving home that evening after it had gotten dark, Jill thought about the whole disgusting incident with Wainz. She hoped the parole board had listened to her. She remembered his statement to her when he was sentenced. About how sorry he was and he hoped she could forgive him. She'd forgiven him a long time ago, but she could never forget, no matter how hard she tried. Having Mary Kathryn had helped in the forgiveness department. She remembered the very first time she'd actually seen him. It had been on the evening news shortly after she'd been released from the hospital. It was stock footage taken when he was arrested in the flower shop following his escape. Jill had commented to Mike how she was disappointed. That she thought he'd look more like a monster than a pathetic middle-aged man who a heavily bandaged head. Mike had replied to her how monsters could come in all forms. Over the years, she had learned how right he had been.

Mike was trying to read a bedtime story to Mary Kate, but the little girl wasn't cooperating. "When's mom coming home? She reads better than you do," she complained petulantly as she threw one of her dolls off of the bed.

"I told you that mom had an errand to run. She'll be home later after you're already asleep. And, why is it you tell her that I read better when she reads to you?" He wanted to know.

"I don't know," she pouted as she threw another doll to the floor.

"Mary Kate, stop it or you're going to sleep right now," Mike warned as he picked the dolls off of the floor and placed them back on her bed.

"How come I can't have a kitten?" She asked as she threw herself down and covered her head with her blanket.

"Mary Kathryn, I'm not talking to you again. Sit up and listen to the story, or I'm getting up and turning off the light," he said as Mary Kate reluctantly removed the covers from her head. "We'll talk about the kitten another time."

"Can I have a drink of water?" She asked, sitting up and smiling brightly.

"Yes, you can have some water," he answered, reaching over and handing her a cup of water from the night stand. He couldn't resist that smile that was so much like Jill's.

But, after replacing the cup and once again starting to read, the same behavior started once again. "Okay, that's it," Mike stated as he closed the book and got to his feet.

"No, daddy! I'll be good! I promise! One more chance! Please?" She begged as Mike walked to the door.

"No. You were told twice. Lay down and go to sleep," he admonished her as he turned out the light and pulled the door partially closed.

"Daddy!" Mary Kate cried as her father's footsteps faded down the stairs. "Daddy, please come back!"

"Go to sleep, Mary Kathryn!" Mike called as he went to the kitchen to fix a snack before going back upstairs to his and Jill's bedroom.

Due to traffic, it was after ten by the time Jill got home. Pulling into the driveway, she saw the light was still on in hers and Mike's bedroom. She walked into the house and reset the alarm before going up the stairs to the bedroom. Stopping first in Mary Kathryn's room, she picked up her favorite doll and covered the little girl, who had kicked off her covers. Mary Kathryn sleepily opened her eyes when she felt the covers being tightened around her. "Hi, mom. Did you finish your errand?" She asked as she yawned widely.

"You're supposed to be asleep," Jill whispered as she kissed her on the forehead. "Did you have a fun day with daddy?"

"He said we can have pancakes tomorrow? Can we?" She begged as Jill stood up.

"Yes, I'll make pancakes tomorrow. Go back to sleep. It's very late. Here's Alice," Jill handed her the beloved rag doll as she got ready to leave the room.

She walked across the hall and stood in the doorway of their bedroom, smiling. Mike was asleep with his reading glasses propped on his forehead and a Stephen King paperback opened face down on his chest. After more than 12 years together, her heart would still jump into her throat every time she looked at him. There were times when she loved him so much that it was hard to breathe. After all of the teasing about the early days of their relationship, when she thought he was a pest, he was everything she ever could've dreamed of in a husband and much more. She couldn't have asked for a better father for their daughter. He was so much more patient where Mary Kathryn was concerned than she was. He didn't mind the endless questions and he was always available for tea parties with her and her endless family of dolls. And, as Willie, Terry, Chris and Lt. Ryker would tell her, you couldn't ask for a more loyal and devoted friend. He would put his life on the line for them in a minute if it ever came to that and he knew they would do the same for him.

She quietly walked over and removed her nightshirt from her dresser drawer before walking into their bathroom and closing the door. She decided to wake him up in the best way she knew how when she got into bed. She knew how much he loved that. After taking a shower, she exited the bathroom and made sure their bedroom door was closed before climbing into bed beside her husband. "Mike, sweetheart. I'm home," she whispered as she picked up the book he'd been reading and looked at it. "Mike, if you keep reading this, you'll never let Mary Kathryn have a dog."

"No, I just won't let her have a Saint Bernard," he yawned as he opened his eyes sleepily. "When did you get home?"

"A little while ago," she answered as she propped herself up on his chest and stared into his eyes.

"How did it go?"

"Okay, I guess. I'm not sure if they listened to me or not. I read my statement, they asked me a few questions and that was that. How was your evening?" She wanted to know.

"Okay, until this evening. Mary Kate decided this evening that she didn't like the way I read to her so she started throwing her dolls off of the bed," he grinned at the look on Jill's face.

"I get that all of the time. When I read to her, she always tells me that you read better than I do. I just stop reading, get up and leave the room," she informed him.

"I did that. Remember the movie 'Shane,' at the end when Joey is calling for Shane to come back?" He asked as Jill nodded. "That's what I heard as I was walking down the stairs."

"She was actually calling for Shane? I didn't think she'd ever seen that movie," Jill teased as Mike made a face.

"Very funny," he grumbled as he slipped his arms around her and pulled her tighter to his chest.

"I just want it to be over, Mike. I don't want to have to think about it any more and I don't want to have to explain it to anybody else," she whispered as she looked intensely into his eyes.

"Well, let's just hope that they did listen to you and he doesn't get out until his original release date. Then we can slam the book closed on this chapter of our lives," he promised as he pulled her down to kiss her.

Jill was cooking breakfast the next morning as Mary Kathryn sat on a stool nearby watching every move she made. "Where's daddy?" She asked as Jill expertly flipped a pancake on the griddle.

"He went running with Terry. He said you were complaining about his reading last night. Daddy works hard, Mary Kathryn. You're lucky that you have a daddy who wants to read to you before bed. A lot of daddy's just say they're tired and send their little girls to bed without a bedtime story," Jill looked pointedly at Mary Kathryn as the little girl hung her head.

Mary Kathryn was about to say something when her and Jill heard the front door open and close. "Great! I'm just in time for breakfast!" Terry announced as he trooped into the kitchen, followed by Mike.

"Sit down, I'll get you some coffee," Jill smiled as she walked over and got a coffee cup from the cabinet and filled it before giving it to Terry.

"So, how did it go?" Terry asked as he sat beside Mary Kathryn.

"I don't know," she replied as she placed plates at the kitchen table. "Mary Kathryn, please go wash your face and hands."

Several weeks later . . . .

Jill anxiously opened the letter with the return address of The Department of Corrections. She almost cried with relief when she read the short, but to the point form letter.

Dear Mrs. Danko,

This is to inform you that the decision of the parole board is to keep Steven R. Wainz incarcerated until his original date of release.

"Sincerely yours, blah blah blah," Jill held the letter to her chest and heaved a huge sigh until she looked down to see Mary Kathryn looking up at her expectantly. "Mary Kathryn, let's go inside and cook daddy a very special dinner."

"Let me guess. Chicken and rice?"

"You've got it," Jill smiled as she gathered the small girl in her arms and squeezed her tightly.

THE END


End file.
